The thalamus in trigeminal neuralgia: structural and metabolic abnormalities, and influence on surgical response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medically-refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN) can be treated successfully with operative intervention, but a significant proportion of patients are non-responders despite undergoing technically successful surgery. The thalamus is a key component of the trigeminal sensory pathway involved in transmitting facial pain, but the role of the thalamus in TN, and its influence on durability of pain relief after TN surgery, are relatively understudied. We aimed to test the hypothesis that variations in thalamic structure and metabolism are related to surgical non-response in TN.

Methods

We performed a longitudinal, peri-operative neuroimaging study of the thalamus in medically-refractory TN patients undergoing microvascular decompression or percutaneous balloon compressio

SUBMITTER: Danyluk H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8305513 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature